The new format, which rival’s YouTube, could be part of Meta’s long-term plan for bringing in new advertising revenue.
Instagram is introducing a new format that will allow creators to share 90-minute videos on its platform.
This marks the Meta platform’s move into long-form content, directly competing with the likes of YouTube.
The new traditional, horizontal video format was initially tested with creators in Brazil and will now be expanded to select creators in the US. Users will be able to send longer videos to the Instagram app on their TV.
A ‘feature’ option will appear in the main Instagram feed and the ‘explore’ page, and will expand to full screen when a user plays it. Content can also be linked to reels with creators able to link up to eight short, vertical videos to create a ‘feature’ length film.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, explained in a video on the platform on the when making the announcement: “The thing that the team has been working on that we’re excited to share with you is trying to make it so that the short-form and the long-form video can be symbiotic,
“We’re going to try to support these different types of formats, both in the mobile app, but also on the TV app, which I think is … going to take some time to get right. But I’m actually very excited about it, and we’re very committed to it long term.”
A rival for YouTube
YouTube’s partner programme earn 55% of the ad revenue the platform makes from their videos, TechCrunch reported.
Last year, the Google-owned platform paid more than $100bn to creators, artists and media companies over the previous four years.
By comparison, Instagram doesn’t pay creators per view and the money they do make is largely from brands. Often, creators will use their Instagram or TikTok accounts to promote their YouTube channels.
In fact, both Instagram and TikTok, have been unable to monetise their short-form content like YouTube has.
However, with new 90-minute feature videos, Meta could be looking to bring in another way to earn advertising revenue.
Tessa Lyons, Instagram’s vice president of product, said when making the announcement: “Reels is still going to be a core part of Instagram. But when you want to go deeper with the creators you love and the content that they’re creating, you should be able to do that on Instagram.”
A Meta spokesperson told TechCrunch: “It’s too early to share a long-term monetisation model, but we’re exploring ways for creators to earn from brands, fans, and Instagram, including performance-based incentives.
“Over time, we think there will be compounding benefits for creators to tell new stories, reach new audiences, and find new partners, which should lead to many monetisation opportunities.”
